Gear-shifting device.



H. A. MYERS.

GEAR SHIFTING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC29. I9l3.

FIG-[U Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET I FIE-.I

FIG-I5 FIG-.11

a; I (kl/4mm & "mun H. A. MYERS.

GEAR SHIFTING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 29', ms.

Patented Jan. 4, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FIG-4 FIG-E wlrll sssss;

I TTOIIIIEY HUBERT A. MYERS, or renew. ow

ASSIG'NL'ZR OF ONE-HALF TO ALBERT a. .ATWOOD, TOLELDO. (HUG.

GEA R- IF'IING DAVE il'i.

Specific Application 1? To all i i/mm it may com-c1 a Be it known thatl. iiir'filjti'i" Mains. a citizen of the United States of .uncrha. residing at Toledo. Lucas county. ()hio. have. invented a new and as fati e.ai'-;-l.lt.- ing Device, of which the tbitowing is a Specification.

-This invention relates to'a controlh-r for effecting driving relationchanges.

This invention has utility when einhodiml in a motor vehicle, moreparticularly as a single foot lever adapted to control a plu rality ofspeeds of the vehicle.

Referring to the drawings: Figure l is a side elevation with partsbroken away showing an embodiment of the invention in a motor vehicle;Fig. 2 is a plan view. with the housing broken away, of the variablespeed driving meclninism;.Fig. 3 is a plan view of features of thecontroller; Fig. is

(a side elevation of the controller withparts in reverse p ition; Fig. 5is a side elevation of the contro ler with the parts thrown to thesetposition for neutral control; Fig. (i is a side elevation of thecontroller with the parts in high driving relation; Fig. 7 1s atransverse vertical section on the line VII-JII Fig. 5, looking in thedirection of the arrow; Fig. 8 is a detail of a yieldable settingelement; Fig. Q-is a fragmentary detail of the control for the lower dogwhich actnates the controller cam plate to the left; Fig. 10 isa'fragmentary detail of. the control for the dog which actuates the camplate to the right: Fig. ii is a section on the line XI-XI Fig. 10.looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. ii! is a view on the lineXII'XIl Fig. T. looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 13 is afragmentaryview on the line Kill Juli Fig. 8. looking in the directionof tl a rrow: and Fig. 14 is a section on the line XIV-XIV Fig. 6.looking in the direction of the arrow.

The motor vehicle 1 is provided with the motor or prime mover L).actuating the -.lri\ ing member 3. The foot lcwr or peda 4 is operablethrough the clutch sleeve .3 against the resistance of the clutchsprings (i to disconnect and connect the shaft T to the driving member3. Fast to the shaft 7 (Fig. :2) is the gear wheel in mesh with the gearwheel 9 fast on thc i' illltti shaft 10, which counter shaft 10 carriesgears 11.

12, 13, th latter in mesh with the intermef Let ers Paten De nt'er :39.i3.

Patent ed Jan. 4, 1916.

f 'rrnri No 809.193.

in on it. he gear wheel 15 adjacent c gear tin-cl a is nun-d on theshaft 16 in allnczn nt with the shaft 7 to be actuated hy the fork 17 onthe reciprocable shift hzemher 1H into dint driving engagement with thegear 8 or by longer opposite shift into the int rmediate lower speeddriving relation with the gear 11. Parallel with the shift member .18 isthe shift member or bar 19 carrying the fork QO-to shift the gear wheel21 splined on the shaft 16 into driving relation with the gear wheel 12for slow speed forward driving or into mesh with the pinion 14 forreverse direction driving. The shifts of this speed changing means orvariable speed transmission mechanism for driving at reverse. slow andintermediate are the same, while the shift into direct or high a shortertravel.

. The foot lever t has one end of the rod 22 loosely engaged therewith.In this rod 22 are pins "22' adjacent the collars 23 at each end of thespring surrounding the rod 22. The collars 23 on the me 22 are embracedby the fork 25 n'iounted on the )iVOt 9.6 to vieldably rock the crossarms and normally hold said arms 27 in neutral relation as to the footlever 4. The ears of the fork or yoke 25 have recesses extending fromthe central circular guide opening for the rod 22. permitting passagetherethrough of the pins 2:?" (Fig. 13). The upper of the cross arms 27has the link 28 connected thereto. while the lower arm has a similarlink 29.

Engaging the link 28 is the pin 30 extending through the guidingcontroller plate 31. This pin 30 is connected to the'yoke engaging theneutral spring 2% for controlling the rod 33 carrying the tooth 34movable to engage the notch 35 in the, shift mcnihrr is or the notch 36in the shift nicinhci 1! (Figs. 7. 8.12).

The link 29 coacts with a pin 37 similar to the pin 30. and engages asecond yoke 38, having another spring 24' therein for controlling theyoke or rod 38 which has the tooth 39 movable to engage in the recess 40in the shift mcmher 15 and also in the re oss ll in the shift mcmherIf). The double neutral sprii J l" serve iiehlably to maintain the cleanii- 3+, 35 set. in central discmmccting position as to the shift membersin. 1!). The control of these elements or teeth :34, 231). is In ways inthe guide plate 31. For instance in Fig. 4 the pin 30 is forced down bythe way portion 12, which will cause the element or tooth 34 to move.into the notch 36, when the lever 4 is at its forward position ofthrust, cover or rearward tra'iel. the link 28 causes the element ortooth Ill to carry the shift member 19 rearwardhv and time through thefork 20 move the gear 21 int mesh with the pinion 14 for reverse ttn'ci. The element or tooth 34 has its arm portion I3? passing through theguide 43 which has the ways 11, 45, 46, connected at one end. which endis the position fol; the arm portion 33 when the foot lever l is at downor clutch disconnecting position. .Xemrdingly at this point the neutralspring 21' may act and. as forced by the guideway i2, cause the armportion 33* to move in the way it. thcrcbv holding the element 34 inengagement with the recess 36 in the shift bar it. at all times when theshift bar 19 holds the gear -31 in driving relation with the pinion it.The adjacent way portion 47 connected to the way portion 42 would tendto hold the element t in the neutral way 45 of the retaining guide if).thereby holding the tooth or element 34 of the arm portion 33 out ofengagei'nent with each of the shift members 18. 1E). The way portion 48connected to the way portion 47 would tend to lift the arm portion 33for travel in the way l6 and thus have the tooth 34. engage with therecess 35 in the shift bar 18 for throwing the gear 15 into driving relation with the gear 11 for intermediate or second speed forward. Theway portion 4!) Connected to the way portion 48 would again hold the armportion 33 in neutral or disconnected position as to the shift bars 18,19.

The pin 37 of the link 29 passes through the guide control plate 31 inFig. 4 at the way portion 50 which holds the'tooth element 39 indisconnected position as to the members 18, 19 for travel in the neutralretaining guideway 45 of the retaining guide 51. The way portion 52connected to the way portion 50 in the plate 31 tends to act through theneutral spring 21' of the yoke or rod element 38 to draw the tooth 39downward for engagement with the shift bar 19 and thereby effectmovement of the gear wheel 21 into mesh with the gear wheel 12 fordriving at slow speed forward. This yoke or rod element is held inengagement during this driving relation by theway 53 in the retainingguide member 51. Connect-- ed to the way portion 52 is the way portionin the controlling plate 31 for holding the yoke or rod element 38 indisconnecting position, while connected to this way portion 54 ,is theWay portion tending to yieldably force the element l8 upward or causethe tooth member 39 to engage in the shift member 18 at the recess -10.This recess is a little wider than the tooth 39 so that in ()n the rciing relation engagement the parts are held so assen'ibled by the yoke orrod element 38 riding o the ay 56 of the retaining guide, it

The rcz-nion of the ways for the pins 30, 37 is such that but one at atime is in driving relation or may be shifted into driving relation todetermine a driving relation connection. To change the control ordriving'relation selection, shifting of the guide 31 will cause theelen'ients or pins 30. 37 to be moved. This guide 31 is shiftedpositively.

Mounted on the free extremity of the foot lever l ar the tread portions57, 58, 59, grouped together and simultaneously rockable by shifting ofthe foot of the operator thereon. This tread member has the link (it?extending therefrom to the bell crank 61 on the lever -l. towhich bellcrank 61 is conl'ni'ittl the link 62 to actuate the cross arm (33 on thepivot bearing 26 for the cross arm 27. This cross arm oil has near itsupper end the link (3 extending to the collar 65. This collar (35.slidable on the link 28, has recess 66 (Fig. 11 therein for engagementwith the dog t3? pivotally mounted on the link 28 (Fig. 10) and normallyforced by spring (18 into engagement with teeth 69 in the extension 7)of thc guide plate 31. This dog tii' in its coaction with the teeth (it)serves to draw the guide 31 toward the pivot shaft 26 of the foot lever4 or forward as shown in Fig. 5. Accordingly with the tread 5T rockedinto position i'or moving the actuator or foot lever l the collar 65 isshifted clear of the cam 71 on the dog (37 so that, the spring may causethis dog to engage in the teeth (it) of the extension 70 of the guide31. 'Iherefore, witlntltis tread face or portion 57 used there is aprogressive or step by step travel of the guide 31 forward. which meansthat. say. from the reverse position or limit rearward of the plate 31as shown in Fig. i. there may be a gradual increase in speed forward toneutral. slow. intermediate and high. \Vith the tread face 58 of thefoot lever l in actuating position (Fig. l), the collar 33, embracingand slidably supported on the link 28. coat-ts with the cam 71 to holdthe dog 67 out of operative relation. Simultaneously the link 72.extending from the cross arm (33. holds the loose collar 73 on the link29 in such position as to the cam 74 formed on the dog 7.] (Fig. 9) thatthis dog 75 pivotally mounted on the link 29 is'held against the actionof spring 76 out of engagement with the teeth 77 in the extension 70 ofthe plate or guide 31. The link 64 is secured to the collar .65,

lot]

ank the link 72 is seemed to the collar 73.

Acoa dingly these dogs 75 and '37 are out 11f operative engagement. Theeross arm 63 also earries link 78 extending to th rocking; shield 79pivoted on the dog 5-) mounted on the lower extremiv of th arm 27. Inthe rocking of the vies: to pull the does (37, T3 out of runs; the link78 shifts the shield Tu to pet t dog 80 to engage in the noteh at oi"the ar bar 82 and through pinion l and gear wlavl 84 in mesh with therack s5; of the guide member 31, draw this guide to I ause he pins 0, 37to ride iii the neutral guide 'iflliw 7, 50, of the portions in themember Si thereby holdingg the teeth or elements 'll Sr; in neutral ortlisene agiim position as to th shift means 18, 11). Accordingly in nrmal driving if the tread portion 3 is: in actiie position any thrust ofthe foot lexer t torward is Q'oing to bring the driving relation toneutral or disengaging position a oiu'e through the ahove de erihedoperation of the dog 80 and parts actuated therelrv, Any po-- sition ofthe cross arm (ill allrtn in e dog (37 or T5 to engage the toothedportion or of-the extension. holds the shield ii to keep the doe 50 outof engagement with the notch 81.

In driving forward, should it he de ired to progress downwardly, or thatis, reduee speed, step hy step even to reverse. the tread member of thespeed determinintj means may he rocked to have the face 3:; in acti'ieposition (Fig. (3), thus permitting the dog to engage in the recesses Tloi the exit-hsion 70 of the guide 31 in order that on each forwardtravel of the foot lever l, the dog 75 may actuate the guide 31 one steprear wardly or away from the lever fulcrum 36 until reverse i reached.Each thrust of the lever 4 of the actuator forward, liesides shiftingthe guide 'll, moves each link 28, 29. These act through the elements 33throw their respective tooth portions oi, into engagement one at a timeas urged by the springs 24', with the hars 18 15h ol' the speed changingmeans.

Vith the device of the (llStilOHllEt herein the actuator or foot lever lmay he tinost forward to disconnect the clutch from d 's'v in; relationwith the mechanism for esisiltlishing a plurality of (lllYllltfrelations lietween the driving member and the dri -u memher. In thisdisconnecting travel ll the aetuator 4, the elements of the speed dotermining means come into pla v nu l the next determinedspeed relationof nea ral or next higher or next lower speed is set yield ably throughthe double neutral ring 24 in the yoke, '25, and as the elm-men a i323.1354 are out of eentral or neutral way dt-nrwow ing disconnecting,positions in the retaining; guides 43, 51, either tooth element il. or nmay be yieldably shifted by ts neutral he new no i ,1;

a. 7 cn. and no r nnet-ting up or a l riving relation will made, for thellllh' fi l. angle lever il link ri, i'zoss arm 33 and link ill torollar r13, operat to move this eollar t, along the link 3% to liohl thedog )7 against the action of the spring (to out of engagement with thetoothed portion (31) of the extension 70 of the plate ll. The link T2,from the eross arm 03 also holds the collar 73 in position'ou the link29 to hold the dog 75 against the action of the spring it? out oiengagement with the toothed portion 7}" of the extension 70 of the plateill. The link in from the eross arm (i holds the shield TU so that thedog ma engage the notch S1 in the rack bar 852, out as this hair 82 isin the position for holding the plate L3] in the position to keep theteeth 34 39, out of engagen'ient with the recesses in the bars 18, it,the rocking'of the pedal lever -l, will cauee the rod 22 to act throughthe spring fork 25 pivot 26 and cross arm :7 to move the dog 50 intoposition to engage the notch 81 at the limit of travel ol the dog 80,and then on the recover travel of the pedal lever l he withdrawntherefrom. So, of the several connections, no shifting or travel of theguide 31 occurs.

Rocking of the tread portion so that the faee 57 is in active position,as shown in Fig. 5. rocks the link so, angle lever 61, link 62, and crss arm 33 =elative to the cross arm :5. so that the linft l moves thecollar (35 to release the dog o? to he forced by the spring n intoengatrjement with the toothed portion (31) of the extension 70. The link72 holds the collar 73, in this position of the cross arm oil relativeto the cross arm 27, keeping the dog 7;") out of engaging relation withthe eX- tensiou I). while the link Y8 rocks the shield 79 so that the(log l) may not engage in the Hotel) a l of the rack bar 8:2. 111 theforward thrust of the lever 4 to release the clutch. the do t? engagesthe extension 70 to pull the Elll le I'll Forward one tooth 69. Thiswould bring: the pin ill) to ride in the way portion 47, forholding thetooth 3t diswnneeted from the harslR. 19, while the pin 34 would ride inthe'way port :5 of the guide 31, thus through spring l and element 38actuating the tooth into the notch 41 t Fig. 12). In the recover trawlof the lever guide 51.

4, the link 29 from the cross arm 27, pulls the bar 19 forward to shiftthe gear 21 into mesh with the gear 12, and the result is first or slowspeed forward driving connection of the gearing. In this travel of thelink 29, its pin 37 is in the way portion in the guide 31, while theelement 38 now is held in the way 53 to maintain the driving connectionselection. Before element 38 was acted upon to effectv the shifting ofthe tooth 39 into engaging position with the notch 41, this element 38was held in the way 45 of the fixed If the speed isto be furtherincreased, it may be done only one step at a time. With the face 57still active, further actuation of pedal 4 will effect shifting of theguide 31 to cause the way portion 48 to act upon the pin 30 of the link28, and through the spring 24' and element 33 cause the tooth 34 toenter the recess 35 in the bar 18, and in the recover travel of thepedal 4, bar 18 will be shifted rearwardly to carry the gear 15 intomesh with the gear 11. How'- ever, in the forward travel of thepedal'4,v

the bar 19 was first drawn to disconnect the gear 21 from the gear 12,the guide way portion 54 directingthe pin 37 to cause the spring 24 tohold the element 38 in position for the guide way 45 and place the tooth39 out of engagement with the bar 19. The element was simultaneouslydirected by the way 45 in the fixed guide member 43 to travel inposition to be directed into the way 46 for the recover travel. Theshield 79 is still acting to keep the dog 80 inactive, while the meshingof the gear 84 with the rack 85 on the guide 31 has shifted the bar 82.To get to high speed forward, it is necessary to make another thrust andrecover of the pedal 4 with the face 57 still active. The thrust willbring the pin 30 into the way portion 49, so that the bar 18 with thegear 15 may be shifted to disconnect the intermediate or second speedforward driving connection. The spring 24 acts to move the elementc33for recover travel in the way 45 of the fixed guide 43. The pin 37 inthe way portion 55 causes the element 38 through the spring 24', to movefrom the way 45' in the fixed guide 51, to the way 56, thus urging thetooth 39 to enter the recess 40 in the bar 18, and in the recover travelof the pedal 14, pull the bar 18 forward and thus shift the gear 15 fordirect clutch connection with the driving shaft 7.

From any position of driving connection, bringing the face 58 intoactive position and thrusting the pedal 4 forward will hold the dogs 67,75, out of engagement with the extension 70, but leave the dog 80 freeto enter notch 81 and in the recover bring the guide 31 so that the ways47, 50, are effective to drrect the pins 30, 37, for disconnectedposition, after bringing the connected bar 18 or 19 to disconnectingposition.

Movement to bring the pedal face 59 into active position will actthrough the link (it). angle lever 61, link (32, to rock the cross arm 3(Fig. 6) so that the link 64 causes the collar (35 to hold the dog 7away from the toothed portion 69 of the extension 70, 70 while the link72, shifts the collar 73 so that the dog 75 may engage the toothedportion 77 of the extension 70, and the shield 79 is so rocked by thelink 73 that the dog 80 may not be effective. In the forward travel. 5of the pedal the guide 31 is moved rearwardly of the vehicle one toothdistance, thus changing the driving coYlIlQCtlOll from high tointermediate, or if starting from neutral or disconnected position,effecting connection for reverse.

For reverse, the pin 30 is in the way portion 42 and the pin 37 is inthe way portion 50. Tooth 39 is accordinglv disconnected from bars 13and 19. and pin 59 through the spring 24 causes the elcmcnt 33 to shiftthe tooth 34 into the recess 36 in the bar 19 the element 33 is directedfrom the way 4.5 to the way 44 in the fixed guide 43. In the recover ofthe pedal 4, the link :23 causes the bar 19 to travel rearwardl) andshift the gear 21 into driving relation with the gear 14, thus effectingthe backing or reverse driving for thevehicle.

This controller for driving relation is most simple and eiiicient and initself is an insurance against rough usage of the ma chine, for extremesin successive driving relation connections of the gearing are imposible. The progress may be gradually up to speed or down to nothing, orto reverse, or directly into neutral from any driving relation forwardor reverse. IIoweven it takes two acts to reverse the travel of themachine. That is the machine must be brought to neutral before there canbe a change in direction of travel, a safeguard of material value inprotecting the driving mechanism.

hat is claimed and it is desired to seno cure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a motor vehicle, variable speed driving mechanism, speed changingmeans, speed determining means, and an actuator including a pedalcoacting with each of said means.

2. In a motor vehicle, variable speed driving mechanism, speed changingmeans,

speed determining means, a driving memher. a clutch for connecting thedriving member to the mechanism, and an actuator for controlling saidclutch, said actuator-including a pedal coat-ting with each of saidmeans.

3. A driving member, a driven member, 5 mechanism for establishing aplurality of driving relations t herebet een. sp ced changing ineansembodying a shift member connectible to the mechanism and movable tochange the speed of the driven member,

an actuator having connections for moving the shift member, and meanscontrollable from the actuator for determining the movement of theshiftmember.

4. A driving member, a driven member, mechanism for establishing aplurality of driving relations therebet-iveen, speed chang ing meansembodying a shift.- member for effecting change in the driving relationsof the mechanism, an actuator embodying a lever having connections formoving the shift member, and means controllable from the lever andmovable independently thereof for determining the direction of movementof the shift mmber.

"5. A driving member, a driven member, mechanism for establishing aplurality of driving relations therebetween, speed chang ing meansembodying shift members for effecting change in the driving relations ofthe mechanism, an actuator to engage the shift members, said actuatorincluding a pedal, .and means controllable from the pedal fordetermining the shift member to be engaged by the actuator.

6. A driving member, a driven member, mechanism for establishing aplurality of driving relations therebetween, speed chan ing meansembodying shift means fol-{jiffectii'ig change in the driving relationsof the mechanism, an actuator connectible for movingthe shift means, andmeans controll-able from the actuator and relatively 'movable theretofor determining the next higher or next lower speed driving relation tobe connected by the actuator in engaging the shift means.

*(QA driving member, a driven member, mechanism for establishing aplurality or driving relations therebetween, speed cl'iang mg means, aclutch for connect ng the driv i'ng member to the mechanism. an actuatorfor the clutch, and speed determining means controlled from the actuatorfor connecting the speed changing means for progressive speed changes.

8. A driving member, a driven member. mechanism for establishing aplurality of driving relations thercbetweeii, speed Chang ing means, aclutch for connecting the driving member to the mechanism, an actuatorfor the clutch, speed determining means controllable from the actuatorfor connecting the speed changing means'for progres driving mechanism,speed changing means,

common to each of the means, and means for IHOJlDgllle speed changingmeans at .any time to disconnecting driving relation.

11. A driving inember, a driven member,

mechanism for establishing ,a plurality of driving relationstherebetween, speed changmg means, a clutch for connecting the drivmgmember to the mechanism, an actuator for the clutch including a footlever, and speed determining means controllable from the foot lever for.connecting. the speed changing I changes.

12.v A driving member, a, driven member, mechanism for establishing aplurality of driving relations therebetween, speed hangmg means, aclutch movable for connecting the driving member to andfdi sconnectingthe driving member from the'mechanisin, a reciprocable actuator for the"clutch, and speed determining means operable from the actuator duringthe clutch} disconnecting travel of the actuator'toconnectthe speed forprogressive speed mine connection of the speed changing means to nexthigher or next lower speed.

let. In a motor vehicle, variable speed driv ng mechanism, speedchanging means, speed determining means, and an actuator embodying arockable tread connected to the speed determining means to determine byits rocked position the connection of the speed changing means for nexthigher or next lower speed.

15. A driving member, a driven member, mechanism for establishing aplurality of driving relations therebetvveen, speed changng means,aclutch for connecting the driv mg member to the mechanism, an actuatorfor the clutch, andspeed'determining means for the different drivingrelations, of the speed changing means, said speed changing means beingalways set for the next driving relation during the travelof theactuator effecting clutch release.

l6. driving member, a driven member, mechanism for establishing aplurality of driving relations therebetween, speed chang: 7

ing means, and an actuator for progressively operating the means,said-actuator including a control member common to .both' of said means.I

the driving 17. A driving member, a driven member, mechanism forestablishing a plurality of driving relations therebetween, a clutch forconnecting and disconnecting the driving member to and from themechanism, an actuator for the clutch, and a controller for the drivingrelations embodying shift means, a guide provided with connections foroperating the shift means during disand a yieldable element directed bythe guide for moving the shift means.

19. A driving member, a driven member, mechanism for establishing aplurality of driving relations therebetween, a clutch for disconnectingand connecting the driving member from and to the mechanism, an actuatorfor the clutch, and a controller for relations embodying Shift means, aguide provided with connections for operating the shift means d'uringdisconnecting'travel of the actuator, an element directed by the guidefor moving the shift means during a travel of the clutch actuator, and asecond guide retaining the element in engagement with the shift meansduring connected driving relation of the mechanism.

20. A driving member, a driven member, mechanism for establishing aplurality of driving relations therebetween, speed changing means, anactuator device connectible to the speed changing means, and speeddetermining means for acting upon the actuator device including a firstelement movable to direct the actuator device and movable with theactuator device, a second element movable independently of the positionof the actuator device, and yielding 'means between said elements.

21. A mechanism control device embodying an actuator device, and meansfor positioning the actuator device including a first element movablewith the actuator device to direct the actuator device, a second elementmovable independently of the position of the actuator device, a springbetween said, elements, and a guide for thefirst element precludingdirecting movement of the actuator device thereby at certain positionsof the actuator device. i

22. A mechanism control device embodying a member to be directed, afirst element movable in its directing action with. the member, a secondelement movable independently of the position of the member, a springbetween the elements, and element guiding means precluding directingmovement of the member thereby at certain positions of the member. v

In witness whereof I affiX my Signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

HUBERT A. MYERS.

\Vitnesses:

GLADYs JAMEsoN, GEO. E. KIRK.

